Today's Liberal News

Friday Night Owls: Amnesty Int’l calls on President Biden to shut down Guantánamo military prison

Night Owls is a themed open thread appearing at Daily Kos seven days a week.

In response to reports that the Biden administration has launched a formal review of the future of the Guantánamo Bay detention facility, Daphne Eviatar, Director of the Security with Human Rights Program at Amnesty International USA, released the following statement:

“We are pleased to hear that the Biden administration wants to review the U.S.

Health experts weigh in on their efforts to reverse vaccine distrust in the Black community

At a time when a global pandemic is affecting and killing Black and brown Americans at a significantly higher rate than white Americans, reluctance to get inoculated can have especially dangerous consequences. Taking time to build trust in communities that are hesitant to get vaccinated is crucial—and when people are desperate to return to some semblance of normalcy, time is something there isn’t much of.

Daily Kos announces recipients of Black Solidarity Grants

Today, Daily Kos announced disbursement of the Daily Kos/Daily Kos Liberation League Black Solidarity Grant, which will provide monetary support to organizations doing the work to make Black liberation a reality.

Over the summer, Daily Kos issued a public statement from our Equity Council in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, which also included a commitment to grant 1% of our revenue to organizations fighting for Black liberation.

The Incompetence Lasted to the Very End

If future generations of law professors want to teach a class in what never to do, the belligerent and self-indulgent performance of Michael van der Veen, one of Donald Trump’s impeachment lawyers, could provide a lot of the video content. Deep into his defense of the former president today, van der Veen broke into a highly personal complaint.

The Lessons Biden and the Democrats Learned From the First Impeachment

Midway through his speech at the Pentagon last Wednesday, President Joe Biden veered from global threats to a personal promise. The visit was Biden’s first to the building as commander in chief, and he was surrounded by symbols of power and position. He stood in front of four American flags, behind a lectern adorned with the presidential seal. He would never “dishonor” or “disrespect” the military, he vowed, nor would he ever “politicize the work you do.

Minari Will Draw You in With Its Beautiful Little Details

The open, green plot of land that the Yi family moves to at the start of Minari represents something different to each member. The kids, David (played by Alan Kim) and Anne (Noel Cho), treat it as a playground, a mysterious new landscape to run around and explore. The mother, Monica (Yeri Han), views the isolated lot—and the vacant trailer home in the middle of it—with horror and resignation.

The Books Briefing: Overlooked Stories of Black American Life

In Black Genealogy, the historian Charles L. Blockson tells the story of Edward “Ned” Hector, a Black soldier who fought in the American Revolution. Several years ago, a man named Noah Lewis came across Hector’s story and decided that children needed to hear it. So, as the Atlantic staff writer Clint Smith reports, Lewis began acting as Hector in presentations for children and schools.

The Body Is Far From Helpless Against Coronavirus Variants

To locate some of the world’s most superpowered cells, look no further than the human immune system. The mission of these hometown heroes is threefold: Memorize the features of dangerous microbes that breach the body’s barriers. Launch an attack to bring them to heel. Then squirrel away intel to quash future assaults.The immune system is comprehensive, capable of dueling with just about every microbe it meets.

Ralph Nader on Corporate Crime, Holding Boeing Accountable for 737 MAX Deaths & Biden’s First Weeks

Legendary consumer advocate Ralph Nader says the U.S. is experiencing a “corporate crime wave,” and that the Trump administration’s $2.5 billion settlement with Boeing over the manufacturer’s faulty 737 MAX jets amounts to a “slap on the wrist.” Boeing’s faulty planes were involved in two fatal crashes that killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019, including Nader’s 24-year-old grandniece Samya Stumo.

Where Are the Witnesses? Ralph Nader Says Democrats’ Impeachment Case Is “Prescription for Defeat”

As the historic Senate impeachment trial of Donald Trump continues, we speak with longtime consumer advocate, corporate critic and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader, who says Democrats have set themselves up for defeat by rushing proceedings and failing to call witnesses — including Trump himself. “The narrow approach of the articles of impeachment keep the Democrats from having a full hand,” says Nader.